Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960) User Reviews

Swashbuckling , action , romance and dueling in this entertaining adventure movie

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 28 July 2012]

Passable version based on the legendary character with spectacular fights and average production values . In 13th century England, Robin (Richard Greene) , the World's Most Renowned Swordsman , along with band of marauders as Nigel Green as Little John , Niall MacGinnis as Friar Tuck and Darren Nesbitt as Martin confront local corruption and lead an uprising against the Sheriff that will forever alter the balance of world power . Robin lives again , a hero of every villain , friend to those who have friends . The movie now opens with a man (Desmond Llewelyn as wounded fugitive) riding into the forest on horseback and his identity is never revealed . Robin and his men rescue an unnamed rider seriously wounded who is fleeing to Sherwood Forest on his horse , being chased by the Sheriff's men . Robin absolutely refuses to turn him over to the Sheriff who offers him a full pardon in exchange for the wounded . The sheriff of Nottingham (Peter Cushing) schemes to confiscate the estate of the Lord of Bortrey, who has deceased on Crusades . The Earl of Newark (Richard Pasco) takes an interest in Robin's skill with a arch and puts him through a number of proofs . The Archbishop of Canterbury speaks against this scheme , and the sheriff plans to eliminate him . Robin Hood pretends to avoid the killing of the Archbishop of Canterbury ,Hubert Walter (Jack G. Willim), who is blocking their plans to confiscate a dead nobleman's ownership in the shire for the schemers ; Maid Marion (Sara Branch), meeting him thinks him the leader of a gang of murderous , and leads him into a masquerade .

The movie has acceptable action sequences well staged with stylish and vitality , adventure , romance and is pretty entertaining ; however being realized in TV style . There are some nice action sequences including the battles in forests and the ending confrontation at the climax of the film . Richard Greene was the only actor to reprise his role from the TV series , the other roles were played by an entirely new set of actors. The series formed by 143 episodes were starred and mostly produced by Richard Greene . The movie was shot on natural sets and Irish woods , Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland and interior scenes in Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland with functional production design by Joh Stoll who subsequently took in charge the settings of ¨Laurence of Arabia¨ and ¨The collector¨.

Robin Hood, also known Robin O'Locksley and the Earl of Huntingdom, is probably and sadly a creation of romantic imaginations . If Robin Hood did exist, it's almost certain that he was not a Saxon , though his enemies may well have been the Norman sheriff of Nottinghan and Prince and later king John Lackland.

The motion picture was professionally directed by Terence Fisher . He was an expert on terror genre for Hammer production , his best films were the following : "So Long at the Fair", Portrait from Life (1948), "Dracula", ¨The Revenge of Frankenstein¨ (1958), ¨The mommy¨ (1959), The Stranglers of Bombay (1959), "Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", ¨The brides of Drácula¨ (1960), "Curse of the Werewolf", ¨The phantom of opera¨(1962), "The Gorgon", "The Earth Dies Sceaming", "Dracula ,Prince of Darkness" and "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed".

Other versions about this famous personage are the following : ¨Robin Hoos and his Merrie men ¨(1952) by Ken Annakin with Richard Todd and Peter Finch ; ¨Robin Hood price of thieves (1991) ¨ by Kevin Reynolds with Kevin Costner , Alan Rickman and Morgan Freeman , the same year was exhibited ¨Robin Hood¨ by John Irvin with Patrick Bergin and Uma Thurman but was a flop though the critics considered best adaptation. The classic rendition is ¨The adventures of Robin Hood¨ by Michael Curtiz with Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland and recent rendition Robin Hood by Ridley Scott with Russell Crowe , Oscar Isaac and Cate Blanchet.

Period charm

[timsmith37 · 7/10 · 18 March 2008]

This is not as bad as all that. Terence Fisher as ever does a competent job, there are reasonable production values and some rather fetching photography. I always thought Richard Greene a little too schoolmasterly for an outlaw, and he is here rather portly, but he can certainly handle a bow. Nigel Greene and Niall McGinnis are well cast as Little John and Tuck, Peter Cushing is an excellent Sheriff, and Richard Pasco does well as the ambiguous Lord Newark. Oliver Reed's camp henchman is perhaps less successful.

The conspiracy plot unfolds at a relaxed pace and resolves satisfyingly. The weakest element is the tacked on romance with Sarah Branch's rather bland Maid Marion.

All in all a rather charming period piece, that gets closer to the spirit of the original ballads than most versions.

So-so feature film spin-off from the TV series of the 1950s/60s. View once and forget.

[csrothwec · 6/10 · 25 June 2005]

One of the big disappointments of my then very young life was setting off with my pocket money to view this one many, many years ago. I was a terrific fan of the Richard Greene TV series and used to gurgle and splutter out the theme song from my first conscious days of television viewing. When I learnt that a full FILM version was therefore showing at the local Odeon, I was expecting great things. I have watched the film now about four or five times since as it has appeared on afternoon TV and must say that my disappointment has still been quite strong every time I have viewed it! So what is the problem, (or, rather, what are the problemS)? Firslty, the whole thing must have been made on the then financial equivalent of 75 pence, i.e. the production values are STILL those of the TV series and while shaky scenery and a small number of bushes CAN be taken as a castle or a large forest in a half hour TV programme, (with a break for commercials), it will not work over one and a half hours on the big screen. Secondly, the acting is on a par with the scenery. Richard Greene moves fairly effortlessly from the small screen to the big, (mind you, he had had quite a few previous roles in the cinema, such as in the 1939 Basil Rathbone version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles"), but the rest of the cast, (with the possible exception of Peter Cushing as the Sheriff of Nottingham), are quite forgettable and it seems strange that NONE of the "familiar faces" from the TV series was prevailed upon to appear in the film version as well. At least it would have provided some continuity and, presumably, would have made the inter-action between the actors come to life more than is the case with the film that emerged. Finally, one hardly expects Marlowe or Schiller in terms of plot development with this kind of thing, (in fact I doubt if I had any idea of plot when I first saw the film, probably just waiting more for the next fight scene!), but, even so, this really is feeble in terms of story and makes the Kostner and Flynn versions seem like high literature in comparison. Mix in fairly flaccid direction, poor editing and continuity and a "bargain basement" music score and what have you got? Something to view while shelling peas or waiting for the rain to clear on a Thursday afternoon or, if you saw the 1950s TV series, a clear reminder of HOW really difficult it is apparently to transfer a TV hit to one on the big screen. If you want Robin Hood for the LATTER, then without question it is, (in ascending order of merit), still: Kostner's "Prince of Thieves", the made-for-TV British version of the same year as Kostner's, (and which was totally overshadowed by the latter), and, (of course - you know already, don't you?), the Errol Flynn 1939 film, (still unsurpassable as a talkie version).

A Different Sort of Robin Hood Movie

[aramis-112-804880 · 12 September 2011]

Hammer Film Productions delivered more than great horror. It produced this (short) movie based on the 1950's television series, "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Most of the television cast were dumped. Richard Greene reprises his role as Robin Hood. Little John is Nigel Green and the Sheriff of Nottingham is Peter Cushing, looking weird in a mod wig. Maid Marian changed from a brunette on television to a blonde (Sarah Branch). The one television cast member who is missed is Alexander Gauge's Friar Tuck; he has been replaced by Niall MacGinnis.

Also of note in the cast are Richard Pasco, and a very young Oliver Reed. Reed plays such an effete character he even affects a lisp. Derrin Nesbitt, my favorite no. 2 from "The Prisoner", has a small but pivotal part in this movie as Martin of Eastwood.

The amazing thing is that this movie does not try to track Robin Hood's tale from his outlawry to the arrival of King Richard. This is just one incident in Robin's life. Robin has to secure a pardon for Martin of Eastwood so his family can inherit his lands. But the Sheriff of Nottingham wants the land to revert to himself. There is also a sub-plot, involving Richard Pasco and Oliver Reed, about an attempt to assassinate the Archbishop of Canterbury. For a movie of less than ninety minutes long, it has a lot going on.

Though it is not another life of Robin Hood "Sword of Sherwood Forest" does include the obligatory meeting with Marian. This time, she's bathing in a river (in a strangely exposed place).

But why "Sword of Sherwood Forest" when Robin's favorite weapon is the longbow?

If you are familiar with Richard Greene's Robin Hood, this movie is worth checking out. The color is gorgeous after all this time.

The TV series vs the film...

[sykespj · 6/10 · 22 March 2017]

Judging by existing reviews, individual opinion seems to rely very heavily on the views of fans of the 50s TV series (i.e. old blokes like me), versus those who came in cold and took it on face value. It is important to note that the film was never intended to have any relationship to the TV version. Richard Greene, of course, starred in both... and that's about the extent of it.

The Sapphire Films television series was a whole different kettle of fish. American writers blacklisted in the McCarthy era wrote under pseudonyms and packed the first two seasons with subtle left-wing ideology. The last two seasons fell into a more formulaic adventure groove, but still managed the occasional political overtone.

The movie was typical of the Hammer production philosophy... take what little budget there was, invest heavily in production costs (vivid colour, widescreen ratios), and hire a passable cast with what's leftover (including at least one bonza babe). I'm betting Greene came pretty cheap and had the added bonus of drawing in fans of TV series.

What you see is what you get. It still looks great, the storyline is good enough to last out the whole 77min, and there isn't a political statement in sight. For mine, 6.5 stars out of ten.

Hammer does "Robin Hood"

[profh-1 · 6/10 · 5 September 2013]

A real oddity from Hammer Films, SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1960) is their only film based on a popular UK TV series which actually features the star of the show in the movie. The rest of the cast has still been replaced, however, and because of the nature of the story, it almost has to be an "alternate universe" continuity as I see no way it could fit into the run of the TV show.

Robin Hood (Richard Green) faces off mostly against the Sheriff of Nottingham (Peter Cushing), which means you've got "Sir Henry Baskerville" fighting "Sherlock Holmes"-- although Cushing comes across more like "Baron Frankenstein" in this one.

Also in the cast, I realized on my 3rd viewing, are no less than 3 actors who were in JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS-- Little John is Nigel Green (Hercules), the Archbishop of Canterbury is Jack Gwillim (King Aeetes of Colchis), and Friar Tuck (the film's comic relief) is Niall MacGinnis (Zeus). Of course, having Richard Green & Nigel Green together also means you have 2 different "Sir Dennis Nayland Smiths" side-by-side for most of the picture!

Oddly enough, the REAL villain turns out to be "Edward, Earl of NewarK", played by Richard Pasco, who I've never seen in anything else, but apparently played baddies in 3 different episodes of the TV series.

Also in the cast are Derren Nesbitt (WHERE EAGLES DARE) in one of his rare "good guy" roles, Edwin Richfield ("The Sea Devils") as a minor villain, and Oliver Reed (THE BIG SLEEP) as a total bastard, who, inexplicably, had his entire performance dubbed by another actor.

It's a "nice" film, but not a great one, as the plot tends to ramble and never quite builds any kind of momentum, resembling more than anything a 30's serial with the cliffhangers removed. Richard Green was one of the producers, and it's not by one of Hammer's regular writers, either. Still, anything with Peter Cushing, directed by Terrence Fisher is worth a look.

Pass the time if its raining

[johncfc28 · 5/10 · 18 March 2008]

I'm a great fan of Robin Hood and maybe being too critical of this film given its time of making. But it was hard work, it reminded me of a school play, it was enjoyable purely from a look back at how they used to do films sort of way. Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed will certainly have looked back at this film and have a quiet chuckle on how bad it was and ameteur. I'm trying not to be too critical and let it get away with being an innocent and OK film but the more i think about it the more i find myself wandering why i bothered to watch it. I suppose the reason being that after watching an hour i thought i might as well see it through. The language sorted of drifted from modern day to olde English, if its raining and there's nothing else to watch then give it a go but don't get too comfy or you will drift off.

Get Thee To A Nunnery!

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 4 February 2020]

Richard Greene dons the green tights for the last time as Robin Hood in "The Sword of Sherwood Forest". He had played the character on TV from 1955-60. He was the only member of the "merry men" to make the transition to the big screen.

This film having been made by the horror factory Hammer Studios and directed by horror director Terence Fisher, I expected more especially since the great Peter Cushing was cast as the Sheriff of Nottingham. And we have a winsome young blonde as Maid Marian (Sara Branch) to boot.

The story is hard to follow. The Lord of Bartrey has been slain at the Crusades and the Sheriff has designs on his estate. In the meantime Robin has set his sights on Maid Marian even after he believed that she had led him into a trap with the Sheriff. One of Robin's men is murdered by the Sheriff and Maid Marian takes up his cause on behalf of the man's family.

During the court proceedings involving the disposition of Lord Bartey's estate, the Archbishop of Canterbury/ Chancellor Hugh Walter (Jack Gwillin) intercedes and blocks the Sheriff's attempt to gain the property for himself. Edward, Earl of Newark (Richard Pasco) recruits Robin at Friar Tuck's (Niall MacGinnis) home to join him in a plot to kill Walter. Edward's brutal henchman Lord Melton (Oliver Reed) takes an immediate dislike to Robin.

When the Archbishop's group is attacked, all are killed except for the Archbishop and Maid Marian. They flee to a Nun's priory where the Reverend Mother, the Prioress (Vanda Godsell) just happens to be Edward's sister. Soon Edward, the Sheriff and their followers descend on the Priory and Robin, the Archbishop and Little John (Nigel Green) engage in battle with the villain and....................................................................

For some reason, Oliver Reed's voice was clearly dubbed. We are told that King Richard is away at the crusades so the story takes place during his absence. It is curious that Prince John is never mentioned even though he was a key character both on Greene's TV series and in other Robin Hood films. No Will Scarlett either and Allan -a -Dale (Dennis Lotis) only appears briefly.

With a little more budget, this film could have been much better.

Hammer show why they usually do horror...

[The_Void · 3/10 · 29 September 2005]

Hammer studios are, obviously, most famous for their horror films; but the best of those tend to be the ones that are based on a classic story, so, technically, this take on the Robin Hood legend isn't a far cry away from what Hammer do best. Technicalities aside, however, this definitely isn't one of the great studio's finer hours. The film is flawed to oblivion, and it doesn't capture that Hammer essence that the studio's better films did so well. I go into Hammer films expecting a good time, but this one actually managed to be boring. There's still some camp on offer, but the story plays out in a way that is neither interesting nor fun. As usual with Hammer, elements of the story have been changed; but unlike usual, they've been changed for the worse and the script fails to deliver a story that even comes close to matching the original. This is one of the rare times when Hammer would have been better off simply filming the story that had been doing the rounds for years before this film was ever put out.

The dull and muddled plot follows Robin Hood and his merry men who, after finding a man nearly dead, take him in. It soon becomes apparent that the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham wants this outlaw, and gives Robin Hood a dubious offer of a full pardon. Robin is having none of it, and ends up joining in a plot to assassinate someone or other. The plot isn't overly complicated, but it's not very well handled and because the film is rather boring, it makes it very hard to follow what's going on. The best thing about this film is the fact that Hammer's finest asset, Peter Cushing is in it. Under the direction of Hammer's most punctual director, Terence Fisher, Cushing once again turns in an excellent performance and shows that he can make good of even the lamest material. Oliver Reed also has a small role, but the fact that the lead went to Richard Greene brings it down. For a start, he's too old to play Robin Hood; and secondly, he just doesn't have the charisma to carry the film off. When you're cheering for the baddie because a better actor is playing him, you know you're in the wrong movie. All in all - Hammer completists only!

Marian. Catch!

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 4 May 2014]

Sword of Sherwood Forest is directed by Terence Fisher and written by Alan Hackney. It stars Richard Greene, Sarah Branch, Peter Cushing, Richard Pasco, Nigel Green, Oliver Reed and Niall MacGinnis. Music is by Alun Hoddinott and cinematography by Ken Hodges.

One of Hammer Films' Robin Hood movies that reinvents the legend with some lively swashbuckling glee. Plot is kind of incidental, this really is about some good honest family entertainment involving sword fights, bow and arrow skills, political machinations and some costume malarkey. There's a good story here, based around a dastardly assassination plot that Robin and his merry men get dragged into, this part of the pic is well written and directed with assuredness by Fisher, one of Hammer's greatest directors.

Richard Greene reprises the role of Robin that he played in the popular TV show The Adventures of Robin Hood, and whilst he is unlikely to be at the top of anyone's favourite Robin Hood portrayal lists, he's comfortable in the tights and engages heroically enough in all the right places. Cushing is the class act on show as the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, and Branch is fetching as Marian, though the sparks never fly between herself and Greene.

Sadly there's irritants that stop the film pushing through the forest to breathe fresh air with the best of the other Hood outings. So much focus is spent on Robin the man, his merry men barely get a look in to impact on proceedings. Which when you have Nigel Green as Little John amounts to a crime of a wasted opportunity. The choreography for all the fight scenes is adequate enough, but it lacks dynamism, while Oliver Reed may be enjoying himself greatly, but he adopts an accent that I don't think has been invented yet!

Still, lots of fun here regardless. 7/10

Sorry, but this one doesn't cut it...Richard Greene only passable as Robin Hood...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 28 April 2007]

This is Robin Hood without any zest...just plain dull.

If you're going to do the Robin Hood story, at least a filmmaker should blend in all the proper elements that make the legendary story so popular, as the 1938 film did with Errol Flynn. But here we have Hammer trying to justice to the tale and unable to disguise the fact that it's done on a low-budget scale with less than impressive actors in all the important character roles.

RICHARD GREENE would have been a suitable choice if he'd played the role on the big screen some fifteen years earlier, but he's clearly too mature (and a bit tired looking) to be the dashing outlaw of Sherwood Forest and this faulty bit of casting extends to the other roles too. I never saw the television series starring Greene so I can't comment on it or make a comparison.

It gets off to a dull start with a meeting between Robin and Marian (SARAH BRANCH) that (as in the Flynn film) has them on less than amicable terms at first sight. The difference here is that she's been bathing in the nude before Robin and his men come along but quickly dresses modestly and has her first rude encounter with the outlaw.

There's no "ye olde English" flavor to the dialog--it sounds more 20th Century than anything else. PETER CUSHING turns up as the Sheriff of Nottingham who wants a wanted criminal that Robin Hood is sheltering. He promises Robin a free pardon if he delivers the criminal to him, but Robin refuses the bargain.

Just as well. The Sheriff turns out to be untrustworthy and never keeps his word. NIALL MacGINNIS doesn't seem rotund enough to play Friar Tuck but he shows up midway through the film to form an alliance with Robin. A further plot device involves the Archbishop of Canterbury, but it's a muddled bit of plotting that seems insufficiently interesting and takes attention away from Robin and Marian.

Summing up: Handsomely photographed in color with some interesting archery scenes, but a lackluster script and so-so performances do nothing to make the film anything but plodding and dull. The story simply has no focal point.

Trivia note: SARAH BRANCH's hair-style and make-up looks straight out of the 1960s--a very modern looking Maid Marian.

Hammer's best swashbuckler

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 4 January 2017]

This straightforward Robin Hood yarn is a simple and effective tale of good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. Beautifully shot and directed with flair and style by Terence Fisher, this is a film worth watching for the cast alone. First up is one of the best Robin Hoods of all, Richard Greene, reprising his role from the '50s television series and slipping back into the part with effortless ease. His heroic character is a charismatic, talented and above all believable creation and Greene deserves praise.

But let us not forget the rest of the cast: two splendidly wicked villains are here in the form of the dead-eyed Richard Pasco and the inimitable Peter Cushing, playing the Sheriff of Nottingham as a dastardly, black-hearted old-school villain who gets a surprising death. Behind a fake beard and eyebrows lurks a young Oliver Reed, all scowls and bad temper; fleshing out the roles of the Merry Men are Nigel Green, Niall MacGinnis, and even a young Derren Nesbitt. James Bond fans may note a pre-Q Desmond Llewelyn playing a wounded man. It's a veritable who's who of British talent from the period.

The story is very basic action-orientated stuff, easy viewing to the extreme. Excellent wooded locations serve as a backdrop for the action and the camera is awash with lush greens and beautiful colours. Costumes and production values are top-notch and the script authentic. The sword-fights and various battles are well-handled, especially the spectacular and brutal showdown in a nunnery which finishes off the film. On top of this, there's a good score and a fast pace. A fine swashbuckler and Hammer's best version of the Robin Hood legend.

Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)

[fntstcplnt · 6/10 · 24 November 2019]

Directed by Terence Fisher. Starring Richard Greene, Peter Cushing, Sarah Branch, Niall MacGinnis, Richard Pasco, Nigel Green, Jack Gwillim, Oliver Reed, Vanda Godsell, Edwin Richfield, Charles Lamb, Derren Nesbitt.

Unusual Robin Hood story from Hammer Film Productions, where the famed outlaw (Greene, familiar with the role after playing him in the TV series, "The Adventures of Robin Hood") is barely the main character, Maid Marian (Branch) is a blonde, our hero spends as much time feathering targets as he does villains, and the plot gets bogged down in the middle with a dialogue-heavy land dispute involving a pardoned dead outlaw. Okay outing for the evergreen anti-hero is light on action until the home stretch, with rather stiff swordplay and unconvincing arrow-fire, but the production is handsomely mounted with bright Technicolor scenery and good turns from a few of the supporting players. MacGinnis provides warm, benign comic relief as Friar Tuck; Cushing brings a smooth elegance to his interpretation of the Sheriff of Nottingham. The lord wounded at the beginning (setting the plot in motion) is none other than Desmond Llewellyn, aka the original Q from the James Bond pictures.

58/100

Richard Greene and Peter Cushing

[kevinolzak · 5/10 · 27 May 2014]

1960's "Sword of Sherwood Forest" served as Hammer's adaptation of the ROBIN HOOD teleseries just finished by star/producer Richard Greene, casting their greatest asset, Peter Cushing, as the treacherous Sheriff of Nottingham. The excellent first half finds the Sheriff as ruthless as ever with his bogus promises, but an unexpected turn finds him shunted aside for an even more villainous Earl of Newark (Richard Pasco), whose henchman, Lord Melton (Oliver Reed), shockingly dispatches the uncooperative Sheriff before the film's climactic sword fight. The lone holdover from the small screen cast, 41 year old Richard Greene isn't so much too old for Robin Hood, since his use of swords, bows, and arrows are nearly flawless, it's just that the episodic script makes precious little use of either him or his merry band for most of its 80 minute running time. We see the initial mistrust between Robin and Maid Marian (Sarah Branch), who thinks him an outlaw, setting up a surprise meeting with Cushing's Sheriff, who is desperate to cover up any trace of the plot to assassinate the Archbishop of Canterbury (Jack Gwillim). Robin's band of Merry Men feature Nigel Green as Little John, and Niall MacGinnis as Friar Tuck, in an ill fitting bald cap. Oliver Reed was still a bit player at this early stage of his career, but already a veteran of two Christopher Lee titles, "Beat Girl" and Hammer's "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll." As Lord Melton, his lisping performance is difficult to judge, due to his being dubbed by an unknown actor whose effete mannerisms make Reed look foolish. Second billed Peter Cushing is the biggest name in the cast, and he does not disappoint, looking magnificent in period costume, as he also did in 1954's "The Black Knight," but his efforts are sadly misused by the casual way the film dispatches its most dynamic character, unexpectedly stabbed in the back for disobedience. Director Terence Fisher, also retained from the series, shows himself to have little affinity for the subject matter, particularly the few action scenes (filmed at Ireland's Ardmore Studios), sluggishly choreographed and performed. Never really boring, but such a wasted opportunity.

Weak

[Michael_Elliott · 26 February 2008]

Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)

** (out of 4)

Hammer made their name by reworking Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy but here they try their hand at Robin Hood. Richard Greene plays Robin Hood while Peter Cushing tackles the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham but the end results are rather dull. Like their horror films, this film has the sexuality and violence picked up but director Terence Fisher doesn't bring anything else to the table. The 2.35:1 aspect ratio makes for some good looking scenes but none of the scenes contain any energy to keep the viewer going. Greene is pretty forgettable as Robin and Sarah Branch as Maid Marian comes off even worse. Cushing is good in his role and keeps the film from being worse than it is. Oliver Reed also has a small role.

Men in Green

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 27 March 2020]

The second of three Hammer versions of Robin Hood, which provides posterity with a record of Richard Greene in colour and out in the open air surrounded by real trees amid the very green woodland of County Wicklow (this having been shot at Ardmore Studios in Dublin rather than Bray; which is one reason why it doesn't resemble a typical Hammer production).

Only Greene repeats his role from the tv series, with fifties crooner Denis Lotis making a guest appearance singing a couple of ballads as Alan-a-Dale; while Lady Marian is a platinum blonde in a purple top who in this telling he meets for the first time skinny dipping (what else?). Hammer's most obvious contribution to the casting is Peter Cushing as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Oliver Reed as a saturnine, backstabbing (literally) heavy (Derren Nesbitt being cast against type as one of the merrie men; and Vanda Godsell even more against type as the prioress of a nunnery).

Also characteristic of Hammer is their enterprising commissioning of composer Alun Hoddinott, whose sole score for a feature film this is.

Popular on this side of the pond

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 19 November 2019]

One thing I did learn about Sword Of Sherwood Forest is that it's no compilation film made from the British TV series Robin Hood. Other than Richard Greene in the title role none of the regulars appear from TV appear in the film.

The plot has Robin Hood getting involved in a dispute with a certain lord who feels cheated and none other than the Archbishop Of Canterbury and King's Chancellor Hubert Walter.

The British show was syndicated here and Richard Greene's American public was used to seeing him in the part. Greene was very popular as Robin Hood on this side of the pond. In my generation he was the real Robin Hood.

Fans of the TV series here and in the United Kingdom won't be disappointed.

Sherlock Holmes VS Henry Baskerville with Werewolves, Zeus and Hercules in tights

[one9eighty · 4/10 · 18 April 2016]

A Hammer film unlike a Hammer film; based on the cult 1950's TV series "The Adventures of Robin Hood" Richard Green reprises his role as the famous fictitious outlaw in a cheap film spin off movie. While the main star of the series stayed the majority of the cast where replaced, when you consider what they appeared in it makes this seem a whole lot more amusing: Peter Cushing, one time Dr Baron Von Frankenstein and also Sherlock Holmes, stars as the Sheriff of Nottingham meaning that the main face off is one time Sherlock Holmes chasing one time Dr Henry Baskerville. Various other actors don tights and join the story, including: Nigel Green who once played Hercules in Jason and the Argonauts (as Little John) , Jack Gwillim who once played King Aeetes in Jason and the Argonauts (is the Archbishop of Canterbury), Niall MacGinnis who played Zeus in Jason and the Argonauts (playing Friar Tuck). With other stars of famous films littered in this, if you are a fan of film you may certainly recognise a face or two. Hell, even Oliver Reed (Leon "The Curse of the Werewolf", and Athos one of "the three musketeers") features in this despite being overdubbed throughout.

Don't expect something epic or convincing as this is a pretty poor rendition of the Outlaw by today's standards but for the time it was well created and received. Like so many other versions this film avoids telling an origin story of Robin Hood, the only origin situation is in meeting Maid Marion (Sara Branch). The film itself though takes a situation from the time line of Robin Hood and runs with that instead, in this instance there are two main focal stories, Martin of Eastwood's (Derren Nesbitt) requital and a plot to kill the Archbishop of Canterbury (Jack Willim) from a deadly plot devised and set in motion by the Earl of Newark (Richard Pasco) and the Earl of Mowbray (played by, not but not credited, Oliver Reed). It all starts with a stranger being chased and killed by the Sheriff's men, he has in his possession a brooch showing a falcon with a daisy in it's talons. Robin try's to find out what the brooch symbolises but before he can find out he takes a job working for Newark as this may or may not help his detection work. This all goes wrong when the Sheriff turns up one day. It transpires that the Sheriff is in league with Newark and Mowbray. Can Robin save the Archbishop, England and the day? Probably with him being the hero of the film ;)

This is not the greatest Hammer film by a long way but an easy film to watch on a lazy Sunday - although there are a lot better. This is one of the poorest film's I've seen bearing Terence Fisher's name as director unfortunately. The plot is easy to guess and the script doesn't improve the story in any way. The acting is hammy at best and it's only Cushing that delivers with any authenticity making the Sheriff scheming and sneaky while giving him a regal presence. Despite the downfalls the filming techniques used makes this a very bright and colourful rendition of the outlaw of Sherwood. One thing that baffled me was the title, in the film Robin mentions that his weapon of choice it the long bow and he's seen with it throughout, then why is the film called "The Sword of Sherwood Forest"? He does use a sword, more so towards the end of the film but not much, certainly not enough to warrant the film being called "The Sword of Sherwood Forest". Again this is just a minor thing and you'll soon forget the title when you start watching.

4 out of 10

SAVING THE DAY THE HAMMER WAY

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 6/10 · 4 January 2019]

For those who thought that Hammer Studios only made horror films think again. They were making all kinds of movies during their tenure even if horror films were what got them noticed. Not only that they were making TV productions as well. One of those was THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD that ran from 1955-59 starring Richard Greene in the title role. Yes the same Richard Greene who would later appear in TALES FROM THE CRYPT in 1972. Before wrapping things up though the studio made the feature film SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST.

A stranger is on the run from the minions of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Before he can escape he is mortally wounded but rescued at the last minute by Robin and his men. Giving him refuge he carries with him a crest and before dying keeps saying he needs to get to Bawtry. Heeding his warning Robin decides to head there himself to find out what is going on.

Along the way he stops by to visit Friar Tuck. While there a group of noblemen come along and insults are traded. Before he is slain the leader of the group the Earl of Newark offers him a challenge. Still not knowing who he is he offers Robin his life if he can shoot his sidekick Lord Melton's falcon from the air. Of course he succeeds and the Earl takes him under his wing with the promise of a job. It isn't until later that Robin finds out the job is to assassinate the Archbishop of Canterbury so that the Earl can take over the area.

Robin also learns of the men responsible for the death of the stranger at the beginning of the film. The men were members of the Sheriff's guard. The Sheriff (Peter Cushing) is determined to seize the land of the dead Lord Bawtry who died in the Crusades and make it his own. That is unless he is stopped.

But hey, how can we have a Robin Hood movie without a Maid Marian? Well she's here too and runs into Robin early on, thinking he was responsible for the stranger's death. Later she learns who the real killers were and how two faced the Sheriff is when he kills a man he swore he wouldn't in return for information. Seeking justice for the man the Sheriff had killed she asks for help from the Archbishop. Which of course will lead the paths of both stories to converge.

The movie is an entertaining romp that fans of Robin Hood will enjoy. It's family friendly which is a rare thing to find these days too. I can remember loving the movies about the character as a child and my guess is younger viewers will be thrilled by the action on screen with this one too.

As with all of their releases Twilight Time is sending this one out with just 3,000 copies available. Extras are limited here with the theatrical trailer and an isolated effects and musical track. If this movie brings back memories for you make sure you pick up a copy before they're gone.

Good Heavens

[sxct · 5/10 · 17 October 2020]

Fight scenes were embarrassing and the death scenes laughable. As for casting, all the other Robin Hood films I have seen portray Friar Tuck as short and stocky. In this film I see a well built man about 5'11" to 6'. I would have given this film a 4 rating but there were enough laughs to make be fell generous.

Well-made Robin Hood adventure

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 11 May 2021]

Rescuing a stranger from the Sheriff of Nottingham's henchmen brings fresh adventures for Robin Hood and his merry band of men. Not only must they abandon their camp, but also foil the Sheriffs dastardly plans to murder the Archbishop ...

Richard Green reprises his Robin Hood role for this Hammer production, and it's business as usual; warring against the villains ( well played by Cushing, Pascoe and Oliver Reed), which means plenty of sword fights, arrows flying, but what makes this film interesting is the assassination plot. It adds a little intrigue. It does lack a little zest, but it fails to dampen the enjoyment of this well-made adventure.

Mountains in Nottinghamshire?

[Stevieboy666 · 5/10 · 1 May 2024]

I am a huge fan of Hammer Horror but I do also enjoy watching their non horror output too. This adventure yarn about Robin Hood was directed by the great Terence Fisher but sadly this movie - made during the studio's finest period - just feels lacking. Richard Greene played Robin Hood on TV prior to this but I just found him quite plain and dreary as the famous outlaw, no charisma at all. What does makes this worth watching is the ever reliable Peter Cushing as the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, at times he sounds more like Baron Frankenstein, for example he says "Graves are known to be empty, dig it up!" Sporting a goatee beard he does look quite different than usual. One other thing that I liked was that he comes to blows with a sadly uncredited and badly dubbed (why!?) Oliver Reed. As one would expect from Hammer the costumes, scenery etc all look very nice. However despite being set in the English county of Nottinghamshire the large rugged hills make it obvious that it was not filmed there (shot in Ireland). Maid Marian is wearing lipstick and looks more 1960 than Medieval, there are lots of sexist comments and the fight scenes aren't very good. At 80 minutes the time passes quickly enough but it's far from being a Hammer classic.

Bought it in the bargain pile.....only one good thing about this film...

[brownish33 · 10/10 · 15 July 2010]

...and that is looking at the main actress Sarah branch who plays maid Marian. she is just oh so beautiful and its a shame she didn't do much acting work, even if she wasn't that great, i thought she was one of the most beautiful hammer women and i wish she did more films. other then that, the film like others have said is not nearly on par with other hammer productions. this was pretty boring and at times just plain silly. but I'm glad i got to see this for peter cushing cuz he is always good. i think this must have been one of his few villain roles, i always see him as the hero. anyway, thats all, worth a watch if you like these films, which i do.

Sword of Sherwood Forest

[phubbs · 7/10 · 3 October 2023]

Unbeknownst to me Hammer Productions made three movies based on the legend of Robin Hood. They are all separate from each other (not connected, not sequels) but this particular movie does have some connections with the TV series 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' which came a few years prior. But it's the cast in this movie that grabbed my attention.

The plot is a bit wishy washy it must be said, tends to roam about somewhat. Essentially, the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham along with the help of the Duke of Newark, wants to steal the land of a nobleman who has recently died in the Crusades. The Archbishop of Canterbury is against this move which results in him becoming the target of assassination by the Sheriff. Oddly enough the Duke of Newark stumbles upon Robin Hood (who he doesn't recognise) and upon being impressed with his archery skills asks Robin to carry out the assassination. Naturally, once Robin realises what's going on he decides to help the Archbishop.

That is the main crux of the plot but there are some drawbacks. Firstly, the nobleman whose land is so precious to the Sheriff and Duke is unknown, we don't get any information on him other than he was the Lord of Bawtry (a small market town in the north of England). I should also point out that the Duke of Newark, as far as I'm aware, is a fictitious character for this movie which is disappointing considering all the real people they could have used. Secondly, it's weird how the Duke doesn't recognise Robin (the notorious outlaw of the time) immediately or at least suspect anything. It has to be pointed out to him by the Sheriff after the Duke hires him. Its also quite amusing how the Duke puts Robin through some trials to test his archery skills, hires him, and then puts him through yet more trials because apparently he wasn't entirely convinced the first time; and he STILL doesn't realise its Robin Hood!

Oliver Reed plays Lord Melton (fictitious again), a promising evil-looking character with a glorious slimy voice who doesn't really do anything, a wasted character. And lastly, one of Robin's men is murdered by the Sheriff. So Maid Marian desperately wants to get the Archbishop to grant freedom to his family, which kinda feels superfluous really considering men on both sides probably got killed quite often.

It's an odd entry really, no mentions of Prince John, no mentions of Richard the Lionheart except for the Crusades. I'm not sure when this story is supposed to have been set timeline-wise or if it's just meant to be a random adventure. I can't deny it looks great though. Really rich vibrant settings that admittedly don't look anything like Nottinghamshire or Yorkshire or Derbyshire but they are attractive and green. It's the usual thing really, some shots look like they could be in the correct location, others look completely ridiculous. The movie was actually shot in Ireland but honestly I wouldn't have guessed that. Still, I enjoyed the visuals very much, the interiors of castles, places of worship, grand halls etc...all looked really nice and quite authentic. Hammer sets always looked good, especially inside rustic castles.

As I said originally it was the cast that piqued my interest here. As said there is Oliver Reed playing a great but underutilised baddie. Next to him you have Richard Pasco stealing every scene with bold overacting and amusing bowl haircut. Nigel Green once again plays the strongman character in Little John with that trademark hairstyle and beard of his. Richard Greene continues his role as Robin Hood from the TV series (much of the cast also starred in that series). Definitely some curious casting for me because he looked like a clean-cut middle-aged bank manager rather than a medieval outlaw. And of course Peter Cushing can simply do no wrong. I expected a stereotypical moustache-twirling villain but I was genuinely surprised at how good his Sheriff was here. I should also add that the costumes all round were really good and authentic looking. Again I expected cliched costumes in big bold colours but no! Characters have various outfits and they mostly look suitably rough, worn, and handmade.

I'll be honest here, I fully expected this to be a horrendous fake-looking cliched mess with corny-as-hell acting, but I was wrong! Yes the story is kinda weak and I have no idea how it fits into the lore of Robin Hood (or if it even does, probably doesn't). I'm guessing its just a story someone made up for the movie and not based on any historical events or folklore. That aside, the visuals overall are very pleasing from the costumes to the locations and the wonderful interior sets. This movie looks far better than most other Robin Hood movies and, dare I say, more authentic than the classic Errol Flynn adventure. Don't go expecting top-notch action of course but what you get is perfectly acceptable. Overall this is a thoroughly enjoyable romp of the Middle Ages. Look out for 007's Desmond Llewellyn as the bloke getting shot in the back with an arrow at the start.

Not bad at all

[neil-476 · 7/10 · 16 July 2019]

Robin Hood helps with sundry injustices and nefarious plots.

This is not the Robin Hood story, it is a story featuring Robin Hood. It is Hammer film starring Richard Greene, star of the long-running studiobound black and white 1950s British TV series. Greene is the only cast member who transfers to colour widescreen, but he gains some decent names in the supporting cast, Peter Cushing and Nigel Greene in particular.

The story is nicely textured and, after the resolutely studiobound TV series, it is good to see some lush and colourful exterior work which, unusually for a British film, is filmed in summer rather than winter. The accents of the extras make it obvious that, in this instance, Sherwood Forest is located in Ireland.

Action is quite well staged, albeit 1950s budget issues mean that all arrow strikes are already in place before the victims dramatically rotate to reveal them.

As a low-budget British action movie from the 50s, this isn't bad at all.